Log: A March birthday

[punched_hitler]

Who: Steve, Winter, and a small group of friends (he would've invited Yelena, Kate, Cortana, Rue, Martin, and Jaeger)
When: March 10, dinnertime
Where: Winter/Yelena/Kate's apartment
Summary: A birthday dinner!
Warnings: None so far (warnings in any threads)



Steve maybe just kind of assumes Winter knows it's his birthday. So, it's not like he means for this to be a surprise party, exactly, but he does ask a small group of people he either knows are Winter's friends or thinks should be invited to get together for dinner on the 10th in Winter's apartment. And he doesn't bother to tell Winter, other than to somehow subtly make sure he plans to be home that night.

He can't imagine actually jumping out and yelling Surprise! at Winter is ideal. So, when Winter arrives back after work, it's simply to find that his friends are there and dinner is in the oven.

Steve is admittedly no great cook, but he also isn't sure he trusts the local restaurants right now. So he's been working on if not perfecting, at least learning to make a passable chicken casserole (and if anyone in said friend group doesn't eat meat, he'll make a vegetarian version as well). He knows it might be a little awkward for Cortana to sit through dinner with nothing to eat, so he's made up a little bouquet of colorful flowers to go on her plate so it's not just sitting empty.

He has asked people to bring something sweet (preferably chocolate) for dessert if they're able, figuring Winter can't possibly have too many treats. It is his birthday, after all! And Steve's learned to make enough chocolate cupcakes to go around so they can stick a candle on Winter's and sing him Happy Birthday at the end of the meal. Presents in addition to sweets are of course welcome but optional.

He's brought a couple of decks of cards if people want to stick around and play after dinner, but of course that doesn't have to be the only option for entertainment. And he absolutely makes sure everything is cleaned up again and in order before he leaves for the night.

Comments

[worthallthis]

"I don't need gifts," Winter protests, but he accepts it, and finds that he very much would like to find out what's in it. He gives it a gentle shake, listening to how it might sound inside, but not hard enough to actually damage it if it's delicate.

[musicdied]

"Nobody needs gifts. It's still nice to get them. And you deserve to have nice things happen."

There's a muffled thump as the weight in the box shifts, as though what's in there is heavy, but soft. Or padded. It definitely doesn't sound delicate.

[worthallthis]

"It is nice," Winter has to agree, and, intrigued, he starts unwrapping.

He unwraps slowly and carefully, clearly with the aim of preserving the paper. He doesn't know why, that's just how he feels like he ought to do it.

[musicdied]

The agreement sparks a sunny smile, wholly genuine rather than the friendly mask she so often puts on for other people.

Inside the paper is a box, slick white cardboard with an unfamiliar logo, and inside the box is a weighted blanket, quilted pockets holding the tiny beads that give it its heft concealed beneath a soft cover in pale blue.

"I thought it would be good for the warmer months," Yelena explains.

[worthallthis]

Winter sets the box down on the back of the couch and holds up the blanket. It's soft, and heavy, and... thoughtful. Perfect for him. The idea that someone thought that hard about something he would not only like but actually use a lot shouldn't still be such a surprise, but it is.

He has to blink several times, then fold the blanket over the metal arm so he can use the other to swipe at his eyes. "It's great. Thank you, Yelena."

[musicdied]

"You're welcome," she says. "I'm glad you like it."

You're leaking, she doesn't say, though her nose crinkles a little in sympathy; it's no surprise that this is all a lot to take in, and the fact that it's positive wouldn't necessarily diminish how much it all is.

[worthallthis]

That's pretty much how it is. It's good, but it's so much. He's kind of exhausted by it, a whole night of this powerful, overwhelming, but still good feeling. He fishes out his handkerchief, which he did indeed pick up after their conversation over a year ago now, to dab at his eyes instead of using his sleeve like a heathen.

"When did Steve tell you?" he asks. "What the day was?" Because she wouldn't have known before Steve, he's sure.

[musicdied]

"When he checked to make sure Kate and I were okay with him having the party here," Yelena replies. There's a faint twinge of guilt there that she hadn't thought to ask about it at any time previous - but only a faint one. "So not very long ago."

[worthallthis]

He nods. He's not judging really, mostly just curious, and also not sure how long it took her to decide on and then track down a gift this good. It's not like she could know he didn't know, and didn't even really consider it. "When's yours?" he asks. "Do you know?"

[musicdied]

"No," she says, and shrugs. "I've had a half dozen across various identities, but I don't think any of them is the real one. Just something to put on documents that will be easy enough to remember."

[worthallthis]

"You should pick one," Winter says firmly. "Pick a day you like. Then we can do this for you." Because if he has a birthday, she needs to have one, too. She's still more of a person than he's managed to be.

[musicdied]

Yelena considers this for a moment or two, then says, "Most of the days I like are in the fall, but that seems like a very bad time to have a party around here."

She smiles, small and a little lopsided. "Maybe I will just make you all go to a movie with me and then go shoot pool."

[worthallthis]

"We can celebrate it however you want," Winter says firmly. "If I'd known the day. I would." He pauses. "Well, probably do this, too." This was nice. Just a dinner with him and his people. "But you don't have to. It would be your day. Whatever you want."

[musicdied]

"When I pick one-" if she picks one, if ADI and the Entities give her the space to spend her mental bandwidth on something of that nature "-you will be the first to know. But today is about you."